Truly

♀ Girl

Pronounced TROO-lee /ˈtruː.li/High

Meaning: From the English adverb truly, meaning genuinely, faithfully, or in truth; used as a given name for its virtue-word qualityHigh

In 30 seconds: Truly is a modern English word-name meaning genuinely and faithfully, a bright, positive virtue name with a clear, open sound and a warmth that makes it instantly appealing for a baby girl.

💕 Browse more names

Origin HighEnglish

MeaningFrom the English adverb truly, meaning genuinely, faithfully, or in truth; used as a given name for its virtue-word quality

U.S. rank (2024)#3067 ↗ Rising

2024 U.S. births53 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2022

Total births (all-time)≈ 1,031

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Truly comes from the Old English treowlice, meaning faithfully or in truth, from treow (truth, faith). As a given name, Truly is part of the word-name tradition in English, alongside names like Grace, Hope, Joy, and True, which convert virtues or positive concepts into personal names.

Truly gained celebrity attention when it was chosen for the daughter of actress Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott in 2013. Like other word-names, it sits in an appealing category of names that sound instantly understandable while feeling fresh and unconventional.

Did you know? Truly is one of a new wave of English adverb and adjective names — alongside Lively, Ever, and Story — that take everyday words and transform them into given names, a trend particularly popular among celebrity parents in the 21st century.

Overall data confidence 90%

Oxford English Dictionary — truly — Old English treowlice root; etymologyU.S. Social Security Administration — occurrence data for word-name trend

Variations

TrueTruleeTrulie

Nicknames

TrueRu

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Truly…

True— shortened form sharing the same virtue-word concept

Grace— fellow English virtue word used as a given name

Hope— shares the one/two-syllable positive English word name format

Joy— same tradition of converting English positive concepts into names

Frequently Asked

What does the name Truly mean?

Truly means genuinely, faithfully, and in truth, taken directly from the English adverb as a virtue word-name.

How do you pronounce Truly?

It is said TROO-lee, two syllables with stress on the first.

Is Truly a boy or girl name?

Truly is used as a girls' name.

How popular is Truly?

Truly is a rare but rising name in the United States, part of the modern trend for English word-names and virtue names.